Track Night NYC: A Preview Of The Elite Girls Races


* Sophia Gorriaran readies for the 600m at The Penn Relays in April

Photo Credit: Joe Swift/MileSplit

WATCH: The Track Night NYC will stream free on the Trials of Miles' YouTube Channel

There's nothing better than a track meet under the lights. 

For the third straight year, the Trials of Miles is bringing a big-time meet to the equation in the form of Track Night NYC, which will feature high school races, professional contests and even some open events next weekend at Icahn Stadium.

Today, we're switching our focus to the girls races. We've highlighted the 200m, 800m and mile in previews below. Check out to see what they all have in store. 

Related Links: 

Track Night NYC: A Preview Of The Elite Boys Races


The High School Girls 200m

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One word: Fast. 

With a five-girl field that includes some of the fastest females in the U.S., we could see a historic race under the lights in New York City. 

Eyes have to be on Madison Whyte, the Newport News Heritage senior who ran 22.81 seconds at the East Coast Showcase on May 6, taking down a host of top athletes in the process and registering a U.S. No. 3 wind-legal time.

But her club teammate, Brianna Selby, was an indoor national champion at 60 meters and has been one of the top emerging prospects in the nation this year, too. 

Elise Cooper and Avery Lewis? Both were in that same East Coast race with Whyte, and Cooper also broke 23 seconds, clocking a wind-legal U.S. No. 4 time of 22.93.

Lewis, one of the country's top sprint and jump talents, has gone 23.40 and has the potential to drop even more time. And then there's Cooper's sister, Ella, who could also surprise in the field, too. 

Of note in the heats are Sariah Doresca, a young talent from Haiti who competed at the CARIFTA Games and Anna Vidolova, the sister of middle-distance star Victoria. Both have broken 25 seconds for 200m. 

nameschool
Brianna SelbyChesapeake (VA)
Madison WhyteNewport News Heritage (VA)
Elise CooperOwings Mills (MD)
Avery LewisFriends Central (PA)
Ella CooperOwings Mills (MD)


The High School Girls 800m presented by MileSplit

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A Penn Relays title-holder, a World U20 qualifier and a two-time Texas Outdoor state champion will make up this field, which could see a top-shelf performance. 

Just how fast will it go? 

The beauty is in the unknown. What we do know is that Littlefield -- who's going for her third straight Texas state 800m title on Friday -- has clocked a field-best 2:06, while Napoleon, the national high school record-holder in the 2K steeplechase, has gone 2:11. 

Then there's Hollis, Union Catholic's top middle-distance runner, and Everett, who's dropped an indoor time of 1:35 in the 600m and a best of 2:08 in the 800m. 

Presented by MileSplit, this 800m race will offer a little bit of everything. It'll be a gem. 

nameschool
Angelina NapoloeonAllegany-Limestone (NY)
Amelia EverettNewton (MA)
Paige SheppardHillsborough (NJ)
Victoria VidolovaNew York (NY)
Kailey LittlefieldLucas Lovejoy (TX)
Peyton HollisUnion Catholic (NJ)
Katelyn KlieschStaten Island (NY)



* O'Shea in the Kentucky Dream Mile earlier this season

Photo Credit: Jennifer Schoenegge/Kentucky MileSplit


The High School Girls Mile

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Ciara O'Shea has traveled to California, Pennsylvania and North Carolina this spring to race in the 3,200m, 3,000m and 5K, finishing just outside the winner's spot in eighth and third, respectively, during the first two races and clocking a 16:23.67 in the 5K -- a U.S. No. 1 mark -- in the latter. 

But in this field, we expect O'Shea to shine with the likes of Macchia, Maryland ace Leah Stephens and New Jersey stalwart Emma Zawatski. 

Macchia originally had decided to double in the 800m, but as of recently the New Yorker chose to focus exclusively on the mile. That, in turn, could ultimately yield some bigger results. With deceptive speed, she's gone 4:26 for 1,500m and 4:47.47 for the full mile.

O'Shea, meanwhile, owns a best of 4:46 from 2022, though she's also run 4:48 this season in Kentucky and has 2:15 leg speed in the 800m to carry her through. Stephens has also been on fire in 2023, clocking a top time of 2:13.11 in the 800m.

It will be a dogfight, with athletes like Kaleigh Gunsiorowski, Lindsay Hausman and Paige Sheppard also challenging. 

nameschool
Ciara O'SheaMadison Central (KY)
Zariel MacchiaWilliam Floyd (NY)
Leah StephensOur Lady Good Counsel (MD)
Emma ZawatskiFreehold Township (NJ)
Kaleigh GunsiorowskiUnion Catholic (NJ)
Paige SheppardHillsborough (NJ)
Lindsay HausmanKent Place School (NJ)
Katherine BohlkeNewington (CT)
Abigail Beville(MA)
Lily Jin(MA)
Tess SheryConard (CT)
Cate DesousaRed Bank (NJ)



Women's Section A 800m

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The United States' top 800m runner, Sophia Gorriaran, will face her latest test against professionals. 

Going up against in-form athletes like Ajee wilson, Allie Wilson, Adelle Tracey and Sabrina Southerland, could we see Gorriaran finally connect for a sub-2 in the half-mile? 

It's been a dream of the Rhode Islander for years now. The competition at Icahn Stadium, at least in recent years, has pushed athletes further than they've ever been in the past. So if there's any time to do it, it would be here for the Harvard recruit. 

She enters with an outdoor career best of 2:00.62 and an indoor PB of 2:00.58.

She's opened with times of 25.65 in the 200m and 54.80 in the 400m.